Cutting machine



Feb. 20, 1923. 1,445,992.

J. S. CAMERON.

' CUTTING MACHINE.

FILED SEPT. 24.1921- 2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

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Feb. 20,1923. 1,445,992.

1.. S. CAMERONQ CUTTING MACHINE.

FILED SEPT. 24, 1921- Z SHEETS-SHEET 2.

. To all whom it may concern:

Patented Feb. 20, 1923.

UNITED STATES JAMES S. CAMERON, OF MONTREAL, QUEBEC, CANADA, ASSIGNOR '10 WESTERN ELEC- TRIC OOMPANY, INCORPORATED, OF NEW YOIBK, N; Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

\ qu'rzrme momma -Appl1eation filed September 24, 1921. Serial No. 502,944.

Be it known that I, .1 AMES S. C'AMERoN, a subject of the King of Great Britain residing at Montreal, in the Province of Quebec, Dominion of Canada, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Cutting Machines, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description.

This invention relates, in general, to cutting machines and more part1cularly to machines for cutting sheets of material into stri s.

e cutting machine hereinafter specifically described is adapted to cut sheets of rubber into strips, although it may be used for other materials having similar properties. It has been found very diificultto cut rubber with edge tools without leaving the edges of the cut jagged and rough, so that when the material is stretched it invariably tears at one of these nicks and is useless for the purpose desired.

It is the object of the invention to provide a machine which will cut sheets of material like rubber into strips of desired width without torn or jagged edges and which shall be inexpensive, simple in construction and re liable in its operation.

' These objects are accomplished mainly by the use of heated wires which are stretched across a suitable frame to form a id and which are electrically heated to t e melting point ofthe material to be cut. The material to be cut is mechanically] fed through this grid and thegstrips cut there from are reeled upon spools.

One form which the invention may assume in practice, is shown-in the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 shows that portion of the mechanism which provides the motion in the sheet and reels the finished product on spools; Fig. 2 is a side view of the machine showing the grid and the winding spools; Fig. 3 is a perspective showing one form of grid which may be employed and the method of starting a sheet through the machine; and Fig. 4 is a perspective showing the grid and its cooperation with the sheet of rubber in greater detail.

- Referring to the drawings, a .roll of sheet rubber 1 wound on a shaft 2 is supported in a frame having two uprights 3', joined below by' lateral braces 5.

Supported between uprights 3, by means of plates 48 is a channel member 6. Be-

upon the distance apart of the parallel sections of the wire 10 and this may be changed as desired by substituting a frame provided with a grld havlng such parallel sections at the desired distances. The wire 10 is contween' the sides 8and 9 of the rectangular .The width of the strips depends, of course, a

nected by the leads 11 and 12 to a suitable source of current (not shown) in circuit wlth a variable resistance 13 for adjusting the heating current and a switch 14 for openmg the circuit. The wire 10 is of a resistance material so that when connected with the source of current, it is heated to a suflicient temperature to melt or cutthe sheet'of rubber wound on the shaft 2. The edge 15 of the channel 6 is suitabl rounded and smoothed to act as a bearing surface for the sheet of rubber from the roll 1 as it passes through the grid.

After passing through the grld, the alternate strips 49 and 50 cut from the sheet of rubber pass over rollers 16 and 17 and are wound on suitable spools 18 and 19 supported on shafts 20 and 21 respectively. The alternate strips 49 and 50 are guided to the rollers 16 and 17 spaced at a considerable vertical distance from each other so that the freshly melted edges of the strips are separated to prevent reuniting. Shafts 20 and 21 and t e rollers 16 and 17 are supported on a frame consisting of two uprights 22 and lateral braces 24 and 25. The uprights 3 and 22 are held rigid with'respect to each other by means of braces 23.

I A bracket 26 is formed by a bar bent and bolted to the upright 22. Bracket 26 and an arm '27 also supported by the upright 22, support a vertical shaft 28 upon which is mounted a friction-drive wheel 29 which is 20 relqicctively, and connected to each other bya chain 36. Rotation in the shaft 28 is provided through a worm gear 37 associating the shaft 28 with the shaft 3h of an electric motor-'39 mounted on the lateral supporting members 24 and 25. A proper regulation of the speed of the rubber sheet through the grid is accomplished by adjusting the hearing point of the friction wheel 29 against the friction wheel 33 by means of the shift ing device 30. The motion in the shaft 2 is retarded to produce a proper tension in the sheet of rubber 1 by means of a weight 40 attached to a strip 41 passing over a wheel 42 mounted on the shaft 2.

To start the sheet of material through the grid the sheet is placed over the roller 46 and the grid frame is removed from the channel 6 and placed over the sheet so that the wires 10 register in grooves provided in the roller. The sheet is then drawn by its end for a short distance through the grid and cut as indicated at the line 47. he strips may then be passed through the grid in its position in channel 6 and suitably attached to their respective spools for automatic feeding.

What is claimed is: r

1. A machine for cutting sheets of rubber or similar material into strips, which comprises a stationary electrical y heated grid,

and means to draw the sheet through the rid.-

h 2. A machine for cutting sheets of rubber or similar material into strips, which comprises an electricall heated grid through which the sheet is a apted to pass, means to receive the strips severed from the sheet and power-driven means cooperating with said means to draw the sheet throu h the grid.

3. A'machine for cutting s eets 0t" rubber or similar material into strips, which comprises an electrically heated grid through which the sheet is adapted to pass, means to separate the alternate strips cut from the sheet, a spool for each strip cut from the sheet and means cooperating with the spools to draw the sheet through the grid.

4. A machine for cutting sheets of rubber or similar material into strips,- which comprises a grid through which the sheet is adapted to pass consisting of a frame and electrically heated wire stretched thereacross, a spool for each of the strip-s cut from the sheet and a motor providedfwith an adjustable friction drive associated with said spools.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this fourteenth day of September, A. D. 1921.

JAMES S. CAMERON 

